Thursday, January 29, 2015

You are FIVE YEARS OLD. An amazing and wonderful and filled with righteous indignation ATTITUDE five.

It's been a looong time since I have updated anything. This may be long, it will be disjointed, it will be "quick takes". And this will also not be another commitment to write more. Because I hate lying.

About a year ago with worked with you, Maddy, on you "th" sound. So it's TH-ree not F-ree. You picked it up so quickly! Although, you took the change too far... while we have been able to, for the most part, correct your pronunciation you insists on TH-inger. Not finger.

"Mom! My thinger hurts! I have a cut on it".

And now it seems perfectly normal, this adorable mispronunciation. Another favourite is your version of duplicate. TWO-plicate.

"Mommy! This is a two-plicate toy, to one I have! They are TWINS".

And, yes, we have tried to correct you. And, yes, stubborn Maddy is stubborn. And that is completely perfect, just the way you are. Now feels the time the elaborate on the many ways you can be stubborn. Determined? Spirited? Confident? Any or all of those.

You were four-AND-A-HALF until the day you turned 5. I foolishly made a big deal of you being four-and-a-half during the summer, in an attempt to get you to take more responsibility around the house. And you sort of fell for that. Although up until the end, you were not FOUR. You were FOUR-AND-A-HALF. But you are helping a little more around the house! You can make your bed, you are starting to dress yourself (although I have to be there to remind you to stay on task and not drift away to do something that caught your attention), you sometimes help tidy the house. We need to add more though... Can I get you to start washing dishes? Both your dad and I are pretty sick of doing it ourselves. We seem to use changes in age as markers to change behaviour. Turning 5? You will no longer get a popsicle for... potty. This has been hanging around since you were just over 3, and we potty trained you. And had to bribe you... and it's DONE. Although we have popsicles left, which are now desserts... and not really reducing your sugar intake. Oh the humanity!

But the real you is coming out more and more. You like leggings, not jeans. You wanted your hair short, like mine. You decided you were finished with dance on Saturdays and instead want to play games with mommy and daddy, and watch movies and have fun. Ok then... done! You don't want to be an astronaut anymore (my influence) but a "vet, pediatrician, baker and a singer". never one thing - always the world. You knew exactly what you wanted for your birthday party (Frozen theme). And that you would decorate your cupcakes for the party yourself (which you did).

You also decided that you will have a baby brother. When you are 7, he'll be here. Sadly (for you) mommy and daddy are pretty committed to ONE AND DONE. When I probed, and asked his name you said "BLUE... no. Max. MAX!". And still, even after getting a name? Nope. No more. Although apparently you want three kids! Thlora (the girl), Atasha (a boy) and Patricia (another boy). Three kids. All with very unique names!

And you are loving crafts and drawing! And you are getting quite good. We went from random scribbles to actual people. I think it's partly peer pressure. You made a comment about the one little girl in the preschool program that scribbles still and kids comment... And then you stopped. As a kid I loved art and drawing, so it's wonderful to see you love it too! You also tell stories about how you are being teased for sucking your thumb and are trying to stop (but if you are really upset or really tired you can't help yourself). Peer pressure. Already.

But luckily your best friend is an AWESOME little girl, Kiki. You are both about the same height, similar interests. And same assertive bossiness. I am not sure how THAT works - but it does. I think it's because if you want to do something, and she doesn't, you go your separate ways and play independently. And then play together later! Two only kids... I just wish you and Kiki lived closer together - she's quite far away. Kiki won't be at your school next year, so we'll see who your best friend will be then.

Next year. THIS year. September 2015. KINDERGARTEN! Luckily we can keep you at your existing daycare for before and after school care. Yay! I love the staff there, and they love you too. And I am super glad we waited to put you in. We could have, this year, but you will be older and more mature in September. I think you would have been able to do it, academically, but socially? Why rush it. Maybe in grade 1 we'll transition you to the before and after school care there, so you can be with your friends. But this year will work with the same place.

And now the challenges. There are a few! Attitude. OH SO MUCH ATTITUDE. Any request? Met with "UGH! FI-I-I-I-INE". And a huff. Or scrunched up face. Like anything at all is a complete imposition. Or even more fun? You ignore our repeated requests until we speak firmly to you. THEN you attitude. Or burst in to tears because we "hurt your feelings". Oh the feelings. So many feelings! And not sarcastically. You have such a soft and tender side. Feelings easily hurt, anxieties and worries starting. So sad if you think someone laughed at you. Bad dreams still happen almost nightly. We have significant routines to protect you from Noms (still around!) and nightmares. Although most mornings I am greeted with an announcement of "Mom! I heard a bad dream last night..." and then what it was. Being chased? Being laughed at? Noms? Things happening that is not expected. Every morning I listen and hug you and kiss you. And every night we try to prevent them with the moon night light, Nom traps (pieces of paper around the vent, where Noms come) and a special no-Nom vent cover and night lights you sleep with, that snuggle under the cover with you (you must fall asleep under the covers, often pushing yourself out after you fall asleep, a small sweaty being emerging from your blanket cocoon). Also, you are in a significant mommy phase. Mommy puts you to bed, mommy to help you, mommy hugs. Mommy. And sometimes it's draining, when I need a moment to myself. But mostly I am going to take every single second of time with you while I can.